Mystery Man
by snapple79
Summary: AU where Andy and Sam meet while she's still in the academy and he's undercover.
1. Chapter 1

This popped into my head a while back. No idea how or why, but I liked it. :) Originally intended as a one-shot, it had a life of its own, so it'll be two chapters. Enjoy! Let me know what you think with a review. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Mystery Man**

Andy walked out of a bar with her friends, Traci, Chris, Dov and Gail. They'd all let loose a little after another tough week at the police academy.

"You sure you don't want a ride, Andy?" Traci asked.

Andy looked up at the beautiful summer night sky. "I'm good. It's a nice night and my apartment's not far," she replied. "Have a good weekend with Leo."

She waved goodbye as her friends got in their cars, before she started walking in the direction of her apartment. She was on cloud nine. The academy was tough, but she loved every second of it. She was training to become a cop and do what she had wanted to become since she was a kid.

She was less than two blocks away from her building when Andy heard a groan as she passed by an alley. Her senses on alert, she looked around at the empty street. She hesitated for a moment, but slowly began walking down the dark alley. Behind a dumpster, she found a man curled into the fetal position, eyes pressed closed as his arms were wrapped around his own torso.

She immediately fell to her knees, pulling her phone out of her pocket with one hand, while the other rested on his shoulder.

His head snapped back and eyes flew open as he felt her touch. He cursed himself for being out of it enough that he hadn't even heard her approach.

"Sorry," she said, pulling her hands up in mock surrender to show she wasn't going to hurt him. "You're in pretty rough shape." Even in the dark, she could tell his clothes were dirty, like he'd been rolling around on the ground, and there was blood on his upper lip. In fact, she couldn't be sure some of the 'dirt' wasn't blood. "I'll call for help," she said, starting to dial the police on her phone.

"No," he nearly yelled as he grabbed her wrist. This time it was his turn to startle her as her eyes went wide. "Please," he continued softly. "Please, no police." He couldn't let himself be taken in or to the hospital. He knew it would blow the operation and he'd be made. He was too close to accomplishing his mission to let that happen.

Something in his dark eyes made her want to trust him. She didn't know why, and nearly a cop, she knew better than to trust a stranger in an alley. But still, she slid her wrist from his grip and pocketed her phone.

"You're hurt. We need to get you help," she said, sitting back on her haunches.

The mysterious man moved to sit up and lean up against the brick building behind him, despite how much pain shot through his body. "I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth.

Andy rolled her eyes at the obvious lie. "What happened?"

The man ignored her, trying to evaluate his situation and figure out what to do next. When he'd been dragged into the alley, he thought he'd been made. He still wasn't 100 percent sure he hadn't been, but he didn't recognize the faces he saw in the dark and they went right for the drugs he'd stuffed into his pocket after the last buy. If he'd been made, they would've killed him, not simply taken the drugs. He needed to lay low for a few days, maybe spend the night at a motel, until whatever this was blew over, until he could be sure he wasn't made.

He started to get up, until his head started swimming. He would've collapsed to the pavement, if two strong hands hadn't grabbed his arm and waist. "You're stubborn," she mumbled. "Let me help you."

"Thank you, but I'm fine," he said as they both stood up. Her hands still on him, he looked into her eyes and immediately regretted it. They burned into his soul and despite his better judgment, he felt like he could trust her.

"C'mon. At least let me take you home, clean up these cuts and get you a hot meal," she said. She had this feeling he had nowhere else to go, and she refused to leave him alone on the streets.

He opened his mouth to protest, but instead found his arm going around her shoulders to help support his weight. "Yeah, that...I'd like that."

She walked him slowly out of the alley, arm around his waist as he tried to hide a limp. "Do I at least get your name?" she asked.

"Sam...The name's Sam," he said, looking over at her.

"Nice to meet you, Sam. I'm Andy. It's not that far to my place," she told him. A million warning bells should have been going off in her head. Her dad, her friends, probably even her instructors at the academy would be yelling at her if they saw this, telling her she believed in people too easily. But something about this mystery man made her feel at ease.

It didn't take them long to reach her apartment. He leaned against the wall as she unlocked and opened the door, and flipped on the light as she walked in. She waited for him to follow before shutting the door and tossing her keys on a small table against the wall. He took a look around as they stood in the middle of the studio apartment, which served as the living room. There was a bed off to one side, with two doors that he assumed led to a closet and a bathroom, and a small kitchen on the opposite side of the apartment. It was modestly furnished, but he noticed several unopened boxes against the far wall.

"Just move in?" he asked, nodding toward the boxes when she gave him a questioning look.

"Uh, no, just takes me a while to get comfortable in a new place," she said, rummaging through a large bag she'd left near the door. She pulled out some old clothes her dad had asked her to donate for him. "Um, the bathroom's over there," she said pointing to the door near the bed. "If you, uh, want to clean up."

He took the sweatpants and t-shirt she held out to him. "Thanks."

She watched him walk past her to the bathroom and decided this mystery man was a man of few words. She walked into the kitchen and turned on the stove before pulling some soup and bread out of her cupboard.

She heard the water from the shower turn on and she wondered what she was getting herself into. She knew nothing about this man except someone beat him up and he didn't want anyone to know about it. But something was drawing her to help him; she just couldn't figure out what.

Andy was bringing chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches over to her coffee table when Sam came out of the bathroom. He carried his folded jeans and t-shirt, and placed it near the front door.

"I made something to eat," she said, sitting down on the couch.

Sam hesitated, but took a seat next to her and picked up the sandwich. It melted in his mouth. He hadn't had much more than takeout or greasy bar food in six months. "This is great," he said between bites.

"It's nothing," she said, turning shy at his compliment.

"No really, for someone who hasn't been able to have…" He trailed off, realizing he was about to admit too much to her. He'd been undercover for six months, but with her he was finding it hard to keep his cover personality. That meant he had to be extra careful not to slip up and say something he shouldn't.

"Is someone after you?" she blurted out.

"What?"

"I mean...Should I be worried someone's going to come breaking down my door searching for you here?" she asked.

Sam took a gulp of water from a water bottle she'd put on the table for him. She had every right to question that with the way he was acting. "No, I, uh...I ran into a little trouble, but nothing that'll follow me," he said, hoping that was true. "I'll lay low for a while and I'll be fine."

"You can stay here for the night," she said.

"No, I can't...I don't want to put you out."

"It's nothing," she said, shrugging. "I've been told the couch is pretty comfortable."

Sam hesitated and took another swig of water. This was a bad idea, a really bad idea. But his heart was overruling his head. "Thanks."

They remained quiet for several minutes, eating the food Andy had prepared. "You're the quiet, silent type, aren't you?" she finally asked.

He raised his eyebrows, surprised she was so blunt. "Why would you think that?"

"You don't say much. And when you do, you respond with a question," she challenged him to disagree.

"I've been alone for a while. I guess small talk isn't one of my skills," he said, placing his empty bowl on the table.

"You don't have any family?" she asked, still wanting to know more about him.

"I've got a sister," he answered honestly. "She lives down in St. Catharine's so I don't see her too much. How about you?"

"Only child. Mom left when I was 12 so it's just me and my dad….when he's not on a drunken bender," she said, the last words coming out softly. She put her bowl on the table and pulled her knees up to her chest as she turned to face Sam.

Sam's heart suddenly ached for the sadness filling her eyes. Before he realized it, he found his hand circling her ankle, his thumb rubbing comforting circles on the skin just above her sock.

"Does this happen to you a lot? Getting beat up in alleys, I mean," she said, her free foot tapping his thigh lightly when he wasn't quick to respond.

"It's just part of the job," he said vaguely.

"Sucky job."

"It has its perks," he said, showing her his dimples as he smiled at her. She blushed and looked down at her knees. "You bring home strangers every day?" he quipped.

"You're the first," she said shyly.

"You don't have to be scared of me, Andy," he said, his tone deadly serious. "You have no reason to believe me when you know nothing about me and I can't...It's better if you don't know anything."

She nodded and put her hand over his that was still around her ankle. "I know. I don't know how I believe you when I just met you, but I do. I trust you." She didn't know what he meant by it being better she didn't know anything about him, but she still felt comfortable with him. More comfortable than she'd been on her last few dates, she realized.

She swung her legs around and her feet landed on the floor as she reached for their plates. He stopped her, picking up his own, and followed her into the kitchen. There was a magnetic attraction seemingly forcing him to stay close to her. Each breath he took, her scent - a combination of vanilla and the muskiness of an old bar - invaded his senses. And, surprising himself, he couldn't get enough. He'd never felt this instant attraction to a women before and cursed the undercover job that would prevent him from acting on it.

Following him out of the kitchen Andy noticed he was limping even more than he'd been earlier. She was sure he'd sprained his ankle. "You're foot doing okay?" she asked as he sat down on the couch again.

"Oh yeah, it's fine."

"No, it's not. I've been watching you limp since we left the alley," she said, stunning him when she called him out on his lie.

Most people in his real life, even his friends, wouldn't push or call him out when they knew he was trying to hide what he was feeling. But this woman...she was something else. He pushed out a breath. "Well, yeah, okay, it's killing me. I rolled it when...you know."

She shook her head and walked into her bathroom. She'd sprained her ankle numerous times over the years playing basketball and she knew how to help it heal. She came back out carrying a plastic container of her medical supplies.

She sat on the coffee table across from him. "Gimme your foot," she instructed. When he complied, resting his foot on her thigh. She pulled off his sock and Sam felt this warmth surge through his body when her fingers touched his skin.

He watched her wrap his foot with an ace bandage, not asking what she was doing or why she was doing it. When she finished wrapping it, she dug through her container for a metal clip to keep the bandage in place. "I'm not a doctor, but you probably shouldn't walk on it too much so it can heal," she said.

"Where'd you learn all your first aid skills?" he asked as she moved his foot from her lap to next to her on the coffee table.

"I played sports all through school. Had my share of sprained ankles, knees and shoulders," she replied, rummaging through the container before pulling out a bottle of pain reliever. She handed it over to him and noticed the dark bruise forming on his cheekbone.

She started to learn toward him to take a closer look just as he decided to reach for his bottle of water. Her breath hitched when their faces were mere inches apart. His freshly showered natural smell with a hint of her soap was intoxicating.

She raised a hand to his cheek and noticed his grimace when she ran her thumb over his bruise. Snapping her back to reality, she pulled back. "That's a pretty ugly bruise," she said, standing up. Walking into the kitchen, she yanked open her freezer, needing the cold burst of air on her body as much as she wanted to see if she had ice for him.

After taking a moment to compose herself, Andy walked back to Sam with a bag of frozen peas. "This is all I have, but it should help with the swelling," she said.

She sat down at the opposite end of the couch from him, pulling her legs underneath her as she leaned against the back of the couch and faced him. "That's gotta hurt," she said, looking at the spot where he held the bag of frozen peas.

"I've had worse," he told her.

She narrowed her eyes at him, so curious about who this man was. He took getting beating up like it was nothing, which would make her think he was involved in some not-so-legal activities. But at the same time, he didn't look or act like any criminal she'd seen when she used to visit her dad at the station. "You really are a man of few words. You don't like to tell people a lot about yourself, do you?"

"It's safer that way," he replied. Not only for his undercover assignment, but life in general. He never let people get too close because it was easier to cut ties without hurting anyone. However, this woman sitting next to him made him want to open his heart and that scared him. He'd only known her for a few hours and she'd already gotten under his skin.

"Look, I won't push. Everyone has a story, but it's none of my business. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need to," she said standing up. "And if you decide you want help in whatever mess you've gotten yourself into, I'm a pretty good listener." She headed toward the bathroom to change into her pajamas.

"Andy, I…" His voice stopped her movement at the doorway and she waited for him to continue. He wanted to tell her everything, but stopped himself. "Thank you."

She gave him a small smile before disappearing into the bathroom. Sam let his head fall back and he closed his eyes. He wondered what the hell he was doing. He should never have come home with her. He should have gone to the nearest motel and hid out there, alone. He was coming close to risking everything; the job, his career, his life, _her _life.

It was the thought that Anton Hill's men would somehow tie her to him and harm her in some way that had him dropping the bag of frozen vegetables on the coffee table and jumping up, wincing at the pain in his ankle. He took two steps toward where his shoes and clothes were next to the door before Andy stepped out of the bathroom, carrying a pillow and a blanket.

"Going somewhere?" she asked.

The look of disappointment on her face caused his heart to flip. "Uh, no...not going anywhere."

"Good," she said, her smile lighting up her face. "Like I said, my couch is pretty comfy." She handed over the pillow and blanket to Sam. "Goodnight, Sam."

He watched her retreat to her bed and Sam silently cursed himself for not being able to leave.

* * *

Andy woke up the next morning and heard light snoring coming from her couch before she even opened her eyes. When she finally looked over at the mysterious man she'd met the night before she noticed how peaceful he looked sleeping. The worry lines that covered his face were gone. The anxious way his eyes examined everything around him was replaced with fluttering eyelids. The nervous tap of his finger he thought she didn't notice was stationary as his hand fisted the blanket. She wondered what troubled him so much when he was awake.

She threw the covers off of her, stretching her arms as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She quietly padded into the kitchen, smiling as she passed by the handsome man she wanted to get to know better.

She started the coffee before leaning back against the counter, staring at the coffee pot and willing it to brew faster. She really was curious about Sam. She saw this vulnerability in him that he tried to hide with the facade of a rough exterior. She wanted to know who he was, what he was hiding, and why she was so attracted to a man she knew nearly nothing about. She closed her eyes, imagining what it would feel like to run her hands over his muscles, how his day-old stubble would brush across her skin, wondering what his lips would taste like.

She forced her eyes open, shaking her head. This was a dangerous train of thought. She crossed over to the coffee pot, wishing it to finish quicker.

Sam woke up to the smell of coffee and, for a split second, anxiety over where he was, filled him. His body began to relax when he remembered the night before and where he was. He sat up and saw Andy's bed was empty, so he turned around and saw her in the kitchen. Her back facing him, he took a moment to stare at her without her noticing. Her short pajama bottoms left her long tanned legs exposed and he imagined what it would feel like to have them wrapped around him. The tight tank top showed what a fit body she had. And when his eyes reached the messy bun she'd pulled her hair into, all he wanted to do was release her long locks so he could run his hands through it. He tried to shake the thoughts from his head, as he got up and walked into the kitchen.

"Something smells good," he whispered into her ear, startling her. Standing there, so close to her, he wasn't talking about the coffee. He surrendered to temptation and his fingers pulled the clip from her hair, letting her chestnut brown hair fall down her back.

Andy was having trouble breathing with how close he was to her. She could smell her soap on him, but it was mixed with something that was purely him. She swallowed thickly, trying not to show how much he got to her, before turning around.

He took a step back, but his hand reached out to twirl a piece of her hair between his fingers. "I like it down."

"Coffee's almost ready," she croaked out, not even sure how she forced the words out of her mouth.

Sam took a couple of steps away, until his back hit the wall opposite her.

"Do you, um, want breakfast?" she asked turning around to open a cabinet, simply to give herself something to do so she didn't jump him right then and there. "I don't have much, uh, only cereal."

"That's fine."

She pulled out a box of Honey Nut Cheerios, two bowls and two mugs. He took the mugs from her as she brought everything else to the table. He couldn't help but notice the way she was trying to steady her breathing and it felt good knowing he was having the same effect on her that she was having on him.

Andy poured their coffees and watched him spoon some sugar in. It was hard for her not to stare. Every little thing he did told her a tiny bit more about him. Like now, she knew he took his coffee with two sugars and no cream. It was small, but given that he was a man of few words, she used her skills of observation to learn all she could.

They fell into a comfortable silence, both letting the coffee wake them up before engaging in a full blown conversation. Eventually, Andy couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

Sam nodded as he swallowed more of his breakfast. "Your couch_ is_ pretty comfortable."

"Told you," she replied, grinning.

He loved her smile, could stare at it forever. He wondered if her lips were as soft as they looked. He wondered what they would feel like against his. But he could never learn that. He couldn't let himself kiss her, to lead her on when he knew he had to disappear. He took a gulp of his coffee so his face didn't betray him and show his true feelings when she was so happy.

Andy watched him as they continued to eat and she didn't miss the mixtures of emotions that crossed through his eyes. She wanted to peel his layers away and find out what caused him to go from happy to sad in a moment. But for now, she'd settle with learning the little things, like how he took his coffee. "What's your favorite ice cream?" she asked, still smiling at him.

"What?"

She shrugged her shoulders as she chewed a mouthful of cereal. "What? Everyone has a favorite. What's yours?"

This woman. She was constantly surprising him. Of all the things she could possible ask, his favorite flavor ice cream was nowhere on the list of things he expected to come out of her mouth. "Pistachio."

"No."

"Yes."

"No. No one likes pistachio. No one."

"It holds some good memories," he said. Andy noticed the small smile he displayed, but saw sadness in his eyes. Before she could pry, he spoke again. "What's yours?"

"Strawberry. No question. But have you ever tasted a pumpkin smoothie? I mean, I know that's not ice cream, but oh man. This little cart down the street started selling them last week. Soooo good," she rambled on.

Sam couldn't help but grin over her excitement at ice cream and smoothies.

"Okay...um…" She tapped her spoon against her bowl, thinking of another question. "What's your drink of choice?" was what she decided on.

"A nice scotch. I bet you're a cosmopolitan kind of girl," he guessed.

"As if," she scoffed. "Beer on tap is my drink. Not some prissy girly drink."

He chuckled and raised his hands in mock surrender. She grinned at him over her coffee mug before taking a sip. "How long have you lived in the city?" she asked, tentatively taking a step into deeper territory.

"Uh, my whole life, mostly." He shifted uncomfortably, hoping she wasn't going to ask a question he'd have to lie about.

"Yeah, me too. My dad threatened to move us to the States once when he caught me making out with this boy he didn't approve of, but you know, I guess that's what overprotective fathers do," she said with a laugh, taking the attention off of him.

"Wouldn't know about that," he replied with a chuckle. "Glad he didn't follow through."

"Me too," she said barely above a whisper. They were staring at each other again, as if they'd just been challenged to a staring contest. But their eyes were soft, full of a lot of thoughts that didn't reach their lips.

It was a door slamming above them, followed by tiny feet running across a wooden floor, that broke them from the moment. "So, um, if you want...there's a laundry room in the basement. I can toss your clothes in," she offered.

"I don't want you to go to any trouble," he said.

"It's not," she replied smiling. "And I'm sure, as nice as my dad's sweats are, you'd rather be back in your own clothes. It's no trouble, really."

"Guess I can't argue with that," he said, his lips curving into a small smile. "I'd like to thank you for everything, maybe cook you dinner tonight." He didn't know why the offer escaped his lips. He was supposed to be long gone by dinner time. But it was out there and he wouldn't take it back now.

"You don't have to thank me," she said, picking up their bowls to bring them to the sink.

"I know. But I want to." He grabbed their empty coffee mugs and met her in her kitchen. "Let me cook for you."

Andy nodded. "I, um, don't have much in my fridge. We'll need to go to the grocery store."

Sam hadn't thought through that aspect of cooking for her and he realized it was a horrible idea for him to be walking around outside. He was here for a reason, to lay low. And while the chances were slim anyone would see him walking to or from the store, it was still too risky. Not only could _he _be seen, but Andy would immediately be put at risk.

"You know, with this ankle, I probably shouldn't walk on it too much," he said, exaggerating how bad the injury was.

"Give me a list and I'll get whatever you'll need. The store's just down the street," she said.

"You sure? My thank you is turning into more work for you," he said.

"Well, I have to go anyway, so you can make a list or worry you might die from whatever I make," she quipped. Sam chuckled and took the pen and paper she held out to him. "I'll be right back. Gonna put in the load of laundry before I jump in the shower."

He watched her walk away before starting to make the grocery list.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone who left a review or followed/favorited this story! The response was more than I expected! I wasn't sure what people would think of this AU. Here's the second and last part to this little journey. I hope you like it. :) Let me know what you think with a review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rookie Blue.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

The sun was setting as Sam got to work in Andy's kitchen. She was pulling out some cooking dishes and utensils since he didn't know where anything was, while he headed to the fridge to get everything he needed. He was never more glad her back was too him when his eyes caught sight of the photos stuck to her fridge and his face dropped.

His eyes went wide, recognizing the location of one of the photos where Andy was surrounded by three friends. He swallowed thickly, trying to calm himself so as not to appear shaken when he finally spoke.

"Nice photo," he commented casually, pointing to the one he instantly needed to know more about.

"Thanks, not the best one of us, but it was the end of the first week at the academy and we were just happy to survive," she said.

"Academy?" he asked. He was playing dumb, but what she said only confirmed what he thought. She was a cop, or about to become one. Of all the people to run into, he runs into a cop.

"Police academy. A few months and I'll be a cop," she answered proudly.

"Wow, right here in Toronto?" he asked, fishing for more information.

"Yup. Don't know which division yet. And look, I know you said no cops last night, and technically I'm not one. And I didn't call anyone, so you don't have to worry," she said frantically.

"Got it, not a cop yet." He tried to force a smile so she wouldn't notice anything was wrong, but internally he was kicking himself. It was even more important Hill didn't find out who he was with now. He'd put this innocent soon-to-be-cop in harm's way because he let his heart take over.

That was it, he had to leave. He'd cook her dinner, because he owed her that much as a thank you for everything, but then he'd tell her he had to go. If he cut ties now, there was less chance either of them could get into any trouble.

All he had to do was get through dinner and get out of there. The universe, however, had a different plan.

Andy's kitchen was tiny and with both of them in there, it was a pretty tight space. Sam had decided to make this Mexican casserole his sister had taught him to cook many years ago. It was great comfort food and everyone seemed to love it. After mixing together some of the ingredients, he realized he'd forgotten a couple of things in the fridge. Not paying much attention, he spun around and collided directly with Andy. Knocking her off balance as her socks were slippery on the kitchen tile, her arms flailed about and she closed her eyes waiting to hit the ground.

But she didn't. Sam dropped the wooden spoon he'd been holding so his hands could stop her fall. His one hand grabbed her arm, while his other arm darted around behind her. He never realized his reflexes could be that quick, but the moment he bumped into her, all he could think about was not letting her hit the hard floor.

When Andy realized her movement had stopped, she slowly opened her eyes and found Sam bending over as he caught her. Their faces were so close she wondered how she hadn't felt his breath on her skin immediately. Her heart was pounding, but she didn't know if it was from the fall or what Sam did to her when they were this close. With the arm that he wasn't holding, she wrapped it around his waist to help take some of her weight off of his arms.

"Sorry," he whispered, the movement of his lips causing them to nearly touch hers. He loosened his hand on her arm to help them both stand straight. She rested her free hand against his chest, but neither made a move to step away.

"S'ok." Her eyes darted from his brown orbs to his lips and back again. Tilting her head up, she closed her eyes, and his quickly followed suit, as their lips were finding their way closer again. They didn't have much distance to travel, but before they could meet, a piercing beep from the stove startled them apart.

"Oven's heated up," Andy mumbled, as she felt a blush heat her face.

Sam glanced over his shoulder before back at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Kitchen's not made for two, I guess," she joked.

Sam gave her his dimpled grin as she bit down on her bottom lip. "I, uh, I just need…" He pointed at the fridge behind her.

"Oh, yeah, yeah," she said, moving to the side. "Anything I can do?"

Back at the stove with the rest of his ingredients, he glanced over his shoulder. "Do you want to make the salad?" he asked.

"That I can do."

They avoided any more near falls, but the kitchen was still small. A bump here, an arm brushing the other, hands grazing as they reached into the same drawer - neither was sure if it was _all_ unintentional. Because clearly the heat in the kitchen wasn't all from the hot oven.

By the time they sat down to eat, the sexual tension still filled the air and that helped Sam not think about the photo and that Andy was a cop, or soon to be one. He forced himself to ignore the risks of what he was doing, so he could make the most of the last minutes he spent with Andy. They ate leisurely and talked - well, mostly Andy talked and Sam listened, smiling at all her stories - and she begged Sam for the recipe of the Mexican casserole.

However, as they cleaned the kitchen - she insisted on helping him even though he offered to do it all - reality came rushing back to him.

"So...uh...I should go. Thank you for everything, Andy," he said, walking out of the kitchen when they'd finished cleaning up.

"What? Now? You can't stay?" she asked, quickly following him as he headed toward the door.

"I have to go," he said. Turning around to face her, he wished he hadn't. The sad look in her eyes was killing him.

She thought she'd read the signs he was giving off. She thought he wanted the same thing she did. But now, he was running out the door. "Was it something I said? I'm sorry if I was asking too many questions."

Sam's heart dropped as her voice came out in a whisper. He took a step toward her and placed his hand on the side of her face. "It's not you. You're amazing," he said softly. "But I can't...I shouldn't be here."

Looking into his eyes, she saw his struggle. He dropped his hand and she did the only thing she could think of. She leaned up and pressed her lips against his. It took Sam a minute to catch up, his hand finding her face again as she fisted his shirt in her hands and tugged him up against her.

Sam pulled his lips from hers when his mind caught up with his heart. "Andy…"

She backed him up against the wall, shaking her head to disagree with whatever protest was lost in his throat. She didn't want to hear it. "Stay," she whispered.

"I'm not good for you," he said.

"I don't care." She didn't wait for him to say anything more. She crushed her lips against his as she pressed her body into him.

It again took his body a minute to catch up, but then one hand was on the back of her head, the other on the side of her face. She tasted even sweeter than he thought she would. His hand left her face to travel down her side and he enjoyed the shiver of her body as his fingers grazed her breast.

He hoisted her up and her legs wrapped around him as he pushed away from the wall. Her hair draping over their joined faces, he hoped not to trip over anything as he walked them to her bed. When his knees hit the mattress, he placed a hand on her back so he could lower them both to the bed. Lying on top of her, her legs holding his hips tight against her, he pulled back enough to look at her. She bucked her hips a little missing his lips on her, and stared back at him.

"You deserve someone better than me," he said.

"Let me decide that," she said between panted breaths. She looked up at him seductively. "You started something. Don't make me finish on my own."

The silkiness in her voice as she said the words - and the image of _how_ she'd finish alone - almost undid him right there. His jeans were obnoxiously uncomfortable now. As his mouth now feasted on her neck, his hands got to work on freeing her from her jeans. By the time they were both undressed, Andy wasn't sure she could take much more; with every caress of his calloused hands she thought she was going to explode.

They both eventually crashed over, several times, before succumbing to sleep with Andy curled up against Sam and his arms securely around her.

* * *

Sam woke up the next morning with Andy's warm body curled up to his side, arm strewn across his chest, and her head on his shoulder. His arm was wrapped around her holding her to him. With his free hand, he pulled the blanket more securely over them and rubbed up and down her arm gently. He didn't know what he was doing. He'd known this woman for less than 48 hours but he was already falling in love with her. She was smart, sexy, sassy. He wished they hadn't met while he was undercover, but that's the curveball life threw at him. Find a woman you actually care about and you can't even be honest with her.

He knew he was going to hurt her when he disappeared, but he had no choice, especially now that he knew she was a cop. They could both be killed if Anton Hill found out even his undercover persona had spent time with a cop, let alone figuring out he _was_ a cop.

When he felt her start to stir, he decided that if this was all the time they had, he was going to make sure that every second of it she was happy. He wanted to see her smile light up the room, he wanted to hear her laughter echo through his ears, and he wanted her to remember the good things once he disappeared.

Andy smiled as she woke up with her arm around Sam. It was the best night's sleep she'd had since she moved into the apartment months ago. "Morning," she mumbled.

Sam brushed hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear before his hand rested on her neck. "Good morning."

She wasn't even fully awake, but his voice stirred something inside her. She let him tilt her head up, expecting to feel his lips on hers next. And while that was his intention, he stopped short as he stared at her. He face still covered with sleep, her eyes still firmly closed, her pink lips waiting for his.

"Sam…" she whispered pleadingly, which broke him from his trance.

He pressed his mouth to hers, and they kissed languidly as the remnants of sleep floated away. He rolled them over as her hands pressed into his back. She let out a moan as his hands traveled her body and she could feel how aroused he was already against her thigh.

As his mouth traveled down her neck, she thought that if this was her alarm clock every morning, she'd never have trouble waking up.

An hour later, Andy was sitting up in bed, holding the sheets around her tightly as she watched Sam walk back from the kitchen with a glass of orange juice.

"You're the best," she said as he climbed back into bed with her. After taking a sip, he captured her mouth with his for a kiss.

"Anything for you today," he responded when he pulled back.

"Only today?" she asked, smirking at him.

Sam's heart fell, but he forced a smile to stay on his face. "Forever," he said, even though it pained him to lie.

Andy reached across him to put the glass on the night table as she straddled him. He skimmed his hands up and down her sides as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Does _anything _include staying in bed all day?" she asked, as she nibbled along his jaw.

Sam's breath hitched when she tugged on his earlobe with her teeth. "I think that can be arranged," he said before nudging her face until his lips could reach hers.

They did eventually get out of bed hours later, making it as far as the couch with some sandwiches and a movie on the TV. Andy was curled into Sam's side, his arm around her, and she had never felt happier.

At some point in the day, in between movies, Andy pulled out a game of scrabble, and Sam had never had a better afternoon. They talked - nothing deep or serious - Andy took what she could get without pressing too much. Despite all the mystery surrounding him, Andy felt so comfortable with him.

After the sun had long since set and Andy had fallen asleep with her head in his lap, Sam sat staring at the TV, not paying attention to the movie playing. He stroked her hair as he thought about how long he'd been out of touch from everyone - Hill, his handler. There was a fine line of how long you lay low in a situation like his and Sam was precariously reaching that line. He looked down at her, seeing the smile tugging at her lips even as she slept, and he didn't know how to say goodbye. With a sigh, he realized he was going to have to take the easy way out and wait until she was in bed and asleep, when no 'goodbye' would be needed. Tonight. He'd leave tonight.

His plan set, he heard her mumbling as she woke up. He helped her sit up as she muttered something about being sorry she fell asleep. "I'm just so relaxed around you," she admitted shyly. Hand on his jaw, she rubbed her thumb across his cheek, feeling the stubble that she found so sexy.

"I'm glad." He cupped the back of her head, bringing her lips to his.

* * *

Sam woke up in the middle of the night with Andy cuddled up against him. He knew it was now or never. This was the easiest way to do this, where he didn't have to make a promises he wouldn't be able to keep - that he'd call her, that he'd see her soon. He hated hurting this amazing women, but he told himself he had no choice. He slowly slid out from under her, holding her head until he could place it gently on the pillow. He was glad she was a heavy sleeper.

He got out of bed, careful not to make much noise and picked his clothes up off the floor. He watched her as he dressed, mentally punching himself for slipping out in the middle of the night like this. This was not how he treated women, but he knew he'd never be able to leave if he actually had to look her in the face and tell her goodbye. He didn't have the willpower to fight the look she would inevitably give him.

With the biggest regret he'd ever felt, he walked out of her apartment, quietly pulling the door shut behind him. Maybe one day, when this job was all over, he'd be able to track her down again and explain. She was going to be a cop after all; she wouldn't be that hard for him to find.

Hours later as sun filtered through the windows, Andy woke up to find the other half of her bed empty. She ran her hand across the sheets to find them starkly cold. She sat up and looked across her apartment to the kitchen to find it empty. She turned towards the open door of the bathroom and saw that was empty as well.

She collapsed back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Her gut told her Sam was gone and never coming back. She'd opened her heart again and someone left her. He wasn't the first, wouldn't be the last. She closed her eyes, refusing to let her emotion tumble over.

* * *

Two months later, Andy was sitting in a cruiser on her first day with her TO Oliver Shaw as he told her they were going to have 'the talk.' That was interrupted when they were called to a scene and heard shots fired.

Before she knew it, she was busting through an apartment door and saw a face she'd never forget. She was momentarily stunned and her hesitation gave Sam and his friend a chance to flee. She raced after them, finally tackling Sam in an alley.

"You don't want to do this," he warned.

"Shut up. Turn over," she ordered, shoving him onto his stomach.

"I'm serious. You gotta trust me here," he said, trying not to eat gravel as the side of his face was pushed into the ground

_Trust_? she thought. She brought him into her life once, trusting him and then disappeared without a word. "No. I'm serious. Just shut up." She fumbled with the handcuffs, both from nerves about it being her first day and first arrest, and the unwelcome thoughts about how wonderful it felt the last time she was on top of him. She shook those thoughts from her head and snapped the cuffs on him. "Resisting arrest. Fleeing the scene." She patted him down, trying not to remember how firm his ass felt underneath all his clothes, and found a packet of drugs. "Huh, possession."

"I'm on the job," he said through gritted teeth, hoping she'd get the message.

_Yeah right, on the job to getting beat up again_, she thought. "Not anymore," she said, pushing him into the ground again. She couldn't believe the feelings she'd felt for this scum months ago.

She finally pulled him off the ground and got his partner in crime before bringing them back to her cruiser and notifying her TO. She was pretty excited about how her first day was starting until they got back to the station and a detective outed her mystery man as a cop.

"You're a cop?" She was stunned. A rush of emotions - from happiness to anger to shock to relief - flooded through her as she watched Sam walk out of booking with Jerry on his heels.

"Anybody could've made the mistake, McNally," Oliver said, as he started to process the other guy. "Don't beat yourself up over it."

Andy heard his words, but they weren't registering. All she could think about was how he'd lied to her months ago and how now because of him, her first day was a complete failure so far.

* * *

That night, after shift, Andy and her friends commiserated on their first day as cops. She walked up to the bar for a refill, trying to ignore that Sam was sitting right there.

"Heard you got your guy today," he said.

"Yeah, thanks for the tip," she replied.

"Let me buy you a drink," he offered.

Andy decided she couldn't be there, couldn't be around him. Her first day was enough of a disaster without having to be around this man who lied to her. "I gotta go," she said, escaping his hand that tried to reach out to grab her as she walked away.

He watched her walk out and sighed. He screwed up, but they were going to have to work together so he had to fix this. He tossed some cash on the bar and jogged after Andy hoping he'd catch up to her. He found her just reaching the sidewalk.

"Let me take you home," he called out to her as he approached.

She turned around at the sound of his voice and shook her head. "I'm good. I need the fresh air, so I'll walk."

"Well, that's good. Because I don't have my truck here," he said, smirking at her. "Let me walk you home. Let me explain."

She knew she was going to have to see him again at work, so she figured she might as well get this over with. "Fine."

"I wanted to buy you a drink to apologize," he said as they started walking down the street.

"You lied to me."

"I didn't lie. I just...I didn't tell you who I really was. I couldn't," he said. "I was undercover. I know this job's new to you, but you _know_ what that means. I didn't know who you were. You could've been part of Anton Hill's crew and it could've been a test for me."

"Why did you even come home with me that night then?" she asked.

"I didn't want to," he started, but stopped himself when he saw the hurt on her face. "Not like that. I knew I should just get out of that alley, get away from you and anyone else. But there was something about you, something that made me throw all caution to the wind."

"You left, in the middle of the night, just like…" She wasn't going to cry, she wasn't. But she felt her eyes betraying her, the tears fighting to break loose. "You left just like my mother did. I woke up and she was gone, just like you."

"Andy…" He tugged on her arm until she stopped walking.

"Forget it," she said, pulling out of his grasp and continuing the walk home. "She left. You left. Everyone leaves."

Sam felt defeated seeing the hurt in her eyes. He jogged to catch up with her. "I didn't know how...You had this hold on me that no one's ever had before. It scared me. I was scared I'd never go back to my undercover assignment if I had to look you in the eye and say goodbye."

She stopped and turned to face him. "Was anything real or was it all a lie?"

"Yes, what I told you about me was real. That was all me, Andy. I wanted you to know _me_, as much of the real me I could reveal."

"What happened to you that night? Was it Hill's people that beat you up?"

"No. I thought there was a chance I was made, which is why I needed to lay low for a while. But it was the competition trying to teach us a lesson," he told her.

Andy gave a small shake of her head as she pressed her lips together. "I've spent the last two months trying to hate you, trying to forget you."

He couldn't help but smile as her use of the word 'try.' It meant she didn't hate him and couldn't forget him. He put his hands gently on either side of her face, bringing their faces together slowly. "Give me another chance. 100 percent me this time," he whispered.

Close enough to feel his breath on her skin as he spoke, her heart started fluttering. She couldn't ignore the fact that while she'd wanted to hate him, he'd still brought her pleasure as she lie awake more nights than she'd like to admit thinking about him. She'd compared every guy she met at a bar or her friends tried to set her up with to him. She wanted to know him as Sam Swarek, officer at 15 Division, not Sam, the mystery guy she found beat up in an alley.

"Okay," she said, giving him an almost imperceptible nod.

That was all the invitation Sam needed. He pressed his lips against hers, soft, careful, promising. She snaked her arms around his neck, leaning into the kiss as he deepened it and rested his hands on her hips.

"I should finish walking you home," he said, taking a step back when they parted.

Andy giggled as she looked at the building behind him. "We're already here."

He glanced behind him, recognizing the building from the first time he was here. "Well, then, I guess I should say goodnight."

"Or you could, you know, come up," she said.

"You sure?" he asked.

She looked into his eyes and knew the man she spent two days with months ago was the same man standing in front of her right now. She'd seen through the fake persona and saw _him_. "Yeah. I've missed you."

"Couldn't stop thinking about you," he said, tugging on her hips to bring her closer again.

"Good." She smirked as she brought her lips to his again and Sam slid his arms around her back, holding her tight. Her body relaxed into his and she let out a content sigh into his mouth.

* * *

The End


End file.
